The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-04-17
duced in the Senate, yesterday, by Mr.

| Fowler.
THE DADE COUNTY CONTEST.
The Committee on Privileges and Elec-
tions are having am awful time over the
only contested seat of the session, that Of
Hon. j. William Evan, of Dade County.
The contestant, Hon. James Wood, a
prominent member of the Constitutional
! Convention, is represented by Judge
Mershon, of Orlando. and Mr.. Evan by
Colonel William Scott. of Sanford. The
committee will probably report before
the end of the week. The committee
this morning asked for permission To
send Ia Dade County for persons and
papers.
So far As the routine work is concerned,
your correspondent feels that the readers
of THE PALATKA News will be satisfied
II these letters, with the special dis
patches, give the final disposition of the
several bills now and hereafter to come
before the two Houses. To devote
valuable space 10 the reproduction of
the text of bill which mays never become
laws. and which give no new informa-
tion ON important topics, seems to bss
vain, in consideration of the mass of
the matter that is Of general interest,"
from whence Ia draw material for letterss
and specials.
The only bills which have passed their
third reading are the two following,
House bill No. "a, 10 declare New
River, Dade County, navigable stream.
and
House bill No. rs, 10 prescribe the per-
diem of jurors and witnesses i'm the Cir~
cult Counts, which have passed tha
House and are now pending in the Sen-
ate.
THE SENATORIAL CAUCUS.
The occurrences of the Senatorial cau-
Gus have been closely and fully followed
and detailed at considerable length i'm
our specials, leaving little 10 be added im
this letter. Summed up TO this writing,
the situation seems 10 be about this
A considerable element in the Legisla-
ture appear 10 be determined 10 bring:
about "A deadlock in order 10 open thes
door 10 further nominations and the pos.
sible success of some other candidate
than the two principal contestants. These
members, having no preference between
Perry and Bloxham, vote, i'm the differ
ent caucus ballots taken, first for tha
one and then for the other, i'm order to-
keep each faction in hopes of success,
and maintain an equilibrium that may
be made To appear obstinate enough
Ia require the final abandonment
of both the principal candi-
dates. The disposition 10 slaughter
BloXham does not seem 10 be quite 80
marked as at first, and, therefore, the
accomplishment of the purpose Of the
element named would seem not To be
unlikely, were il not known that ma
iority of this uncommitted element is
really favorable 10 Perry, and II the
maintenance of the deadlock n found
impracticabe, they will go to Perry in a.
sufficient number Ia nominate him.
THAT MISSING SECTION"
The matter of the celebrated missing.
section" is now under advisement by the
joint committee ON that subject, and it's
report will certainly exonorate both the
State Printer and the Secretary Of tho
constitutional Convention, showing
that the mysterious disappearance" OF
the printing section was simply the re-
suit of the circumstance that instead Of
being referred to the committee, the sec
tion was put at once upon It's passage
and passed ON its first reading and not
further acted uuon by the convention.
The investigating committee has before
il number of bills providing for the
abolition Of the office of State Printer.
and for the letting out of the public
printing 10 the lowest bidder upon con-
tract: and there seems no doubt that
Legislation of this character will he en-
acted.
NEWSPAPER MEH.
The Fourth Estate II more heavily
represented at the Capital this
session than ever before To quote
from yesterdays Fiorididn. Tha
st. Louis Globe Democrat, Atlanta Con-
stitntion, New York Times and World
are represented by Mr.. w. Boardman
complished correspondents In the coun-
try; the jacksonville Times linton is rep
resented by Judge A. O. Wright, OF Jack
sonville, and Mr.. J. Il. Whitfield, Of Talla-
hassee; the jacksonville Morning Neios,
by Mr.. j. w. Hawthorn; the Herald, by
w. X. Carter; the Savannah MornfnT
Ne,cs, by Mr. j. Il. Whitfield, and the
PALATKA News and Seville Independent,
by Mr.. Charles A. Choate, of the Inde-
pendent. Mr. Mahlon Gore, Of the Or
lando Reporter; Mr. Frank Phillips, or
the Pensacola AdUdnce- Gazette; Mr.. u.
Fildes, Of the Monticello Consfifutions
Mr.. II. II. McCreary, Of the Gainesville
Ners; Rev. j. T.. DePass, Of the Florida
Christian Adrocdte; DIR. J. J. Harris, of
the Sanford Daily journal; Mr.. j. Is.
Johnston, Of the Waldo advertiser, and
others are or have been i'm attendance.
AN IMPORTANT ROAD TO THE NATION.
Senate bill 81, introduced yesterday by
Senator Delano. OF Volusia, and referred
to the Committee on Railroads and Tele-
graphs, was favorably reported ON by
that committee The bill IN ENTITLED
IAN act To incorporate tho Georgia, Flor
ida and Key West Railway Company,
and Is probably the most important rail-
way bin that will be introduced at this
session of the Legislature. Senator De-
lano states that he has assurances from
prominent members Of Congress and
United States Senators, favoring Gov
ernment aid 10 construct that portion or
the line from Key West TO the mainland.
and that this aid being secured.
the completion of the entire line
s assured beyond doubt and at
IN early date, although the con-
Of the road In by no
means dependent ON such aid. The inl-
- al. .Ksx